Eine Kleine McGery

(If you don't like anything vaguely Mozarty, look away NOW!

Hi!

Thought it was about time I posted something to get some feedback.
This is a piece I wrote 2 years ago, and recently re-wrote the ending in order to submit the piece as an audition for a degree in composition.

The piece is written for strings, but also contains a timpani and and celesta to enhance things.

It's basically a Mozarty, classical, pastiche-esque piece! Although it doesn't stick to sonata form or anything of the sort, I really wanted to have a go at writing a purely classical piece. I didn't therefore attempt to do anything out of the ordinary in harmonic terms, although the ending is interesting.

I just wanted to know what people think! I personally think it's just ok... and that I could re-write the entire thing (I've learned a lot in the last 2 years) and produce something altogether more interesting. rather than do this, I'd rather just agree to disagree with it and get the score prepared in time for the submission deadline!

http://www.alexmcgery.com/Eine Kleine McGery.mp3

I've got a copy of the score done in sibelius which I'll upload tomorrow. I'd really love to have some feedback on the quality of the score, as I need it to be fairly accurate!

Alex,

Where are you auditioning?

For the record, composition faculties are going to rip you apart if you submit this, seriously....

Originally Posted by MoonWoman Cuts the Circle

Where are you auditioning?

For the record, composition faculties are going to rip you apart if you submit this, seriously....

Royal Academy..
I'm not going to just submit this one piece! I think it would be better to submit a wide variety of pieces, displaying ability to write in different idioms. This piece in no way at all represents my musical agenda.
But do you really think they will rip this piece apart? I submitted this piece last year to universities and they were very impressed...

I quite like it...it's a fun, convincing pastiche (and I use the word in the good sense). I can't see why any music college would "rip it to shreds". I think it's a very good idea to show them that you have a good ear for musical styles, and are a flexible composer.

It's better than alot of the stuff I sent to the Birmingham Conservatoire for my audition, and I've got a guaranteed place there now, so you should have no problem! I submitted this baroque style piece which took the word "ripoff" to a whole new level. And there was a film-score style one which was just...well...naff!

Thanks.

I agree it's a fun piece, and isn't really attempting to particularly redefine music. I was thinking of trying to get this performed, but to be honest I would rather have a more 'modern' work played if you get me.

That was a charming piece! You certainly have captured the feeling of a Mozart string divertimento. It has that typical Viennese touch to it!

I enjoyed it very much!

Fred

Hi, thanks very much! Glad you liked it.

Out of interest did you have any particular thoughts on the piece from 3:40 onwards? Although the piece is heavily entrenched in the classical style I tried to inject some kind of intrigue by adding some more adventurous harmonies. I was wondering if you thought this worked within the piece, especially the chromatic bit at the end? I don't have any chance of talking my music through with any composers or music teachers right now, so any comments would be very much appreciated!

Hi again Alex! I especially liked the calm part, the counterpoint is very beautiful and written with good taste. (It's right before the celesta or Glockenspiel episode.)

Speaking about celesta... this detail is very "Magic flute" inspired...lol!

The transition section, later is also very effective... very Viennese indeed!

You have a true feeling for beauty! Which is very important in Music...The successful Viennese era started with father Haydn and ended sort of when Mahler died...later in Vienna came composers like Arnold Schönberg and Alban Berg.
One, not so successful (According to Leonard Bernstein, Schönberg at the age of 70 suffered, because his complicated music was not being performed).
Alban Berg on the other hand was a winner thanks to his ability to compose beautiful 12 tone rows that did not bore the hell out of it's audience... Bernstein askes the question: "Why did Alban succeed, where Schönberg failed to reach a broad audience... both used the same 12 tone system in their music?" Who of the young people today (when Bernstein was still living.)... who can honestly say that they enjoy Pierrot Lunaire with the same love as they feel when listening to Stravinskij's "Rite of Spring" or Mahler's symphonies? Bernstein goes further..., he askes another question:
"Is there tonality even in the most intricate 12 tone structures?" Is there a negative ambiguity in Schönberg's music?... elements that are just to huge and too complex for the human ear to grasp?

Even though many young people today have difficulties to truly enjoy pieces like Pierrot Lunaire by Schönberg. (One of the pieces that Leonard Bernstein thinks is a terrible boring opus).

I personally love Schönberg's 5 pieces for orchestra! (Maybe his greatest 12tone work.)... and "A Survivor of Warsaw"

I'm a big fan of Viennese music! I love the great Austrian masters like Amadeus, Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler.

What would the gigantic American and British film industry be without the German and Austrian masters like Wagner, Bruckner, Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler... there would be no Starwar... Indiana Jones... Tolkien Ring scores or Superman (John Williams) scores or James Bond (John Barry), or Alfred Hitchcock (Bernard Herrman).

interview with Arnold Schönberg. (advices to young composers by Arnold Schönberg. He declares his love for Mozart and how important his music has been to him!)

Hi Fredrik, Thanks for the reply!

When I put that celesta in (it probably didn't really need to be there!), I was thinking specifically of Tschaikovsky's Sugar plum fairy. I love most of Tschaikovsky's music; even if it sometimes get's labelled as being too light and fluffy, Sugar Plum fairy is essentially a good, honest piece of music! Although the celesta might sound a bit clichéd in a piece such as this, I really thought it added something.

I'm glad you thought the transition section at the end worked well; I was a little unsure about the chromatic bit in particular, mainly because I thought it might sound a little bit out of place in a classical sounding piece!

My main concern is that the main melody is played throughout by the 1st violins (except in one instance). I haven't properly studied string writing, but I'm fairly sure I should be 'sharing' the melody between instruments (e.g cello taking the lead in one part). I've got a year before I start at my next university (no.3 if I get accepted), so hopefully I can iron out some of my shortcomings over the year.

Thanks for listening!

Speaking of Schoenberg, what do you think of Verklarte Nacht? For me it's an incredibly moving, beautifully written piece of music, but as far as I'm aware it didn't go down well on its first performance!? Crazy...

Hi Alex! Verklärte Nacht is a masterpiece... you can clearly hear the strong Wagner, Tristan and Isolde harmonies which saturates this piece.
Bernstein writes in his book (the joy of music) "Transfigured Night, which Schönberg wrote at the age of 25, was a string quartett in which he was actually out-Wagnering Wagner!!

I also love his "Pelleas und Melisande", (from Schönberg's still tonal period.)

Yes! Poor Arnold had great obstacles in his long career... first of all he was a jew and had to deal with the Nazi regim... went to the US!

The Viennese audience where rioting at the performances of his 12 tone string quartets. The situation got more and more out of hand. He enjoyed coming to the States, where his string quartets where listened to without any riots.

He was a great genius, but he failed to reach a broader audience. Alban Berg is the winner of the Vienna School.


Fred